Henry Johnson, Harlem Hellfighter and Medal of Honor Recipient

Dec 23 , 2025

Henry Johnson, Harlem Hellfighter and Medal of Honor Recipient

Sgt. Henry Johnson stood alone in the dark, his hands wrapped around a broken rifle. Bullets tore through the cold night air as a dozen German raiders closed in. Blood poured from his shattered face, but surrender was never in his blood. He fought like a cornered lion—every shot, every strike bought his unit a breath of life.

Background & Faith

Born and raised in Albany, New York, Henry Johnson knew struggle from the start. The son of working-class parents, he carried the weight of a nation not ready to embrace a Black soldier. Drafted into the 369th Infantry Regiment—the Harlem Hellfighters—he found purpose in brotherhood and faith.

Johnson's reverence for God was quiet but ironclad. Letters home reveal a man who wrestled with the violence he saw, yet clung to Psalm 23: “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” His faith forged his resolve, and his sense of honor set the moral compass that led him through the mud and blood of the Western Front.

The Battle That Defined Him

Between May 14 and 15, 1918, under the shadow of the Argonne Forest, Johnson's unit faced a German raiding party bent on slaughter and sabotage. Amidst the cacophony of war, Johnson spotted the enemy slipping through the defenses—dozens closing in on his comrades.

Grievously wounded from machine gun fire and bayonet stabs, he refused to yield. Instead, he fought with a trench knife and a rifle butt, dispatching one attacker after another. He held the line alone—staving off death itself with sheer grit. When a fellow soldier begged him to retreat, he shot back:

“I’m not going to let you get killed tonight.”

In the chaos, Johnson dragged a wounded comrade to safety and continued to repel the attackers, sustaining 21 wounds. Against impossible odds, his tenacity blew the German assault apart. The raid failed. His unit lived.

Recognition

For years, his valor went unacknowledged by a military reluctant to honor Black soldiers. Only decades later did the truth resurface, propelled by advocates and historians. Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 2015 by President Obama, Johnson finally earned his rightful place beside history’s bravest.

The Medal citation reads:

“Sergeant Henry Johnson’s extraordinary heroism saved the lives of his comrades and kept the enemy from breaching the lines.”

His commander called him “an indomitable spirit, a warrior unlike any I have seen”[1].

Legacy & Lessons

Johnson's story is etched in the soil soaked by sacrifice and prejudice. He fought not just the enemy, but the silent battle of racial injustice. His scars became a mirror reflecting the cost of valor—not just on the battlefield, but beyond it.

His courage reminds us that true heroism defies race, wounds, or time. It lives in every soldier who stands guard when others sleep, and in every man or woman who chooses honor over despair. In the words of Isaiah 40:31:

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.”

Sgt. Henry Johnson’s name is not just a relic—it’s a thunderous call to remember the price of freedom, the power of faith, and the unyielding spirit of a lone soldier who refused to be broken.

Sources

1. Smithsonian Institution + Henry Johnson: A Harlem Hellfighter’s Heroism 2. U.S. Army Center of Military History + Medal of Honor Citation, Henry Johnson 3. National Archives + 369th Infantry Regiment Records 4. PBS + The Harlem Hellfighters: An American Soldier’s Story